From Niagara Falls City School District Superintendent Mark Laurrie - January 2025

     The new year offers the opportunity for renewed resolutions and a pause for thankful reflection and celebration.

     The first semester of the school year has been safe, smooth, and positive. This successful opening was accomplished with teamwork led by the outstanding Niagara Falls City School District Board of Education and supported by our incredible administrators, teachers, and support staff. Facing challenges that will always exist, we adapt with a student-focused solutions approach. 

     As we enter the long, cold days of January, two topics drive our attention and focus. First off, the upcoming New York State budget, which provides the bulk of education funding through a formula called foundation aid. Our governor and legislature must follow this law. We continue to advocate for resources our students desperately need. Knowing in Niagara Falls that we cannot raise school taxes, this formula is absolutely imperative and critical to our students. 

     Secondly, I congratulate and thank the governor for her continuous dialogue regarding the dangers of cellphone apps and the negative impact these devices have on our students in school. With the governor leading the charge we have had our best year in reducing cellphone use in school.  Our collaboration with faculty, staff, administrators, parents/ guardians, and students have resulted in improved student focus. The solution rests within each school district and community. The unique nature of every school district makes it imperative that cellphone-banning efforts are handled at the local district and school board level.  We must continue to work to balance how we accomplish this necessary task without overly punishing or breaking relationship bonds with students and families.  When given the whys, the hows, and the benefits to stakeholders, individual districts are empowered to undertake this in the best way for their schools. In his well-written book, The Anxious Generation, author Jonathan Haidt states cell phone bans alone, however, will not bring back the student conversations and engagements we need.  It is, however, a great place to start.

     Our budgets must continue to support athletics, drama, and the arts to engage students. These activities do not need to prepare the next Major League Baseball (MLB), National Basketball Association (NBA), or Broadway superstar. They will provide interactions that move students to engage in healthy activities and away from phone use. Adequate funding is so necessary.

     We call upon the governor to recognize how critical foundation aid is to our schools. Planning and support by individual districts working locally are our best chance to support our students in the new year.